CD Review: Gary Allan's Greatest Hits

Artist: Gary Allan
CD Title: Greatest Hits
Release Date: March 6, 2007
Record Label: MCA Nashville

Normally, when I own an artist's entire catalog, I don't feel a need to purchase best of or anthology collections of the artist's music. Often, it's full of material I already have, and my idea and the record company's idea of the artist's best material are often two different things. With a computer and CD burner, I can make my own greatest hits CDs of most of my favorite bands.

Even if an artist puts new material on a greatest hits CD, it's often just filler, and doesn't represent their musical ability and talent. In the case of country superstar Gary Allan's latest offering, Greatest Hits, the opposite is true. This is probably the best greatest hits CD I've picked up since Megadeth's Capitol Punishment collection back in 2000.

The CD contains thirteen of Gary's best-known songs including "The One", "Her Man", "Best I Ever Had", "It Would Be You", "Smoke Rings In the Dark", and many more. It also contains two new songs sure to do just as well on country radio and with fans, the already charting "A Feelin' Like That", and "As The Crow Flies", a sure hit when and if it is released to radio. If you liked Gary's first six CDs, you're sure to love the two new songs on the Greatest Hits CD. In this case, it's also nice to have all the radio hits in one place.

Another thing which impressed me about this package is the layout of the tracks. Usually, an artist will start or end the CD with any new tracks, and then the hits will be in some sort of chronological order by their release. In this case, the CD starts with "A Feelin' Like That", goes in to "Right Where I Need to Be", and continues on, with a mix of songs from all of his albums, in an order that flows well as opposed to a chronological rundown of hits. The CD ends with his other new track, "As the Crow Flies", followed by last year's hit "Life Ain't Always Beautiful". The mix of ballads and up-tempo numbers is very refreshing and well-done.

From start to finish, this is a solid best of package, well worth the money for either the die-hard or casual Gary Allan fan. I highly recommend picking up this CD or buying the download from your favorite digital music retailer.